Weigh-basket.



1.]. FLEMING.

WEIGH BASKET. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1915.

1,231,147. PatentedJune 26, 1917.

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J. J. FLEMING.

WEIGH BASKET. AFPLlCATlON FILED sEPT.21. 191s.

Patented June 26, 1917.

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UIE STATES PAT i JOHN J. FLEMING, OF CARRICK BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PHILLIPS MINE AND MILL SUPPLY 00., OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

WEIGI-I-IBASKET.

Patented June 26, 1917.

Application filed September 21, 1916. Serial No. 121,442.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. FLEMING, citizen of the United States, residing at Garrick Borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVeigh-Baskets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention has relation to weigh baskets for weighing coal as it is discharged from the mine cars onto the screen or screens at the tipple.

I-Ieretofore it has been customary to dump the coal from the mine cars directly on a screen at the tipple and to weigh only what coal passed over the screen. Within a comparatively recent period the above described manner of weighing coal has been to a large extent discarded in many of the large coal fields and a new system of weighing adopted, according to whichsystem all the coal from the mine cars is weighed before screen ing, this system necessitating the placing of a weigh basket at the head of the screens. These baskets usually have a door at the bottom of the basket to allow the coal to fall from the basket onto the screen but are objectionable owing to the fact that as soon as the door was opened the coal rushed or fell out in a body and so much of it passed over the screen at one time that it was not properly screened.

The object of the present invention is to provide a weigh basket so constructed, arranged and operated that it will secure proper screening of the coal and this object is accomplished by providing. a basket with a door adapted to be opened by the weight or pressure of the coal the opening of the door being under control of the weigh master, whereby, through certain manually operated mechanism, he can govern and control the opening of the door so as to cause it to open gradually, so as to permit the coal to fall on the screen gradually and easily and thus insure proper screening. The invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating my invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a coal tipple, showing my improvements in position thereon and Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the same.

The vertical standards or supports of the tipple are designated 1 and the horizontal beams 2. The tilting portion of the car tracks extending from the mine onto the tipple are designated 3 and in the drawing a mine car, 4, is shown in full lines in the po sition it first occupies on the tilting section of the car tracks and in dotted lines in the position it occupies when tilted to discharge its load.

While I have shown a tipple provided with a tilting car track section, I wish to be understood that my improved weigh basket can be used in connection with and to receive coal from either self-dumping cages in which the cars are dumped without leaving the cages, from car tips such as the wellknown cross over dump, or from any other tipping device. Inclined beams designated, 5, extend'forwardly from the cross beams, 2, and these beams carry hangers, 6, that are connected by links, 7, to the toggle arms, 8, to one end of which are connected the scale lever arms, 9, which are in turn connected in the usual manner to a scale beam of the ordinary character mounted on a platform above the tipple where the weigh master takes his stand. The last named connections, the platform, and the scale beam with its appurtenances, are not shown in the drawing as their construction and operation is well known and understood.

Hanger rods, 10, are connected by links, 11, to the toggle arms, 8, and these hanger arms are connected at their lower ends to longitudinally disposed horizontal beams, 12, that carry transversely disposed beams, 13, and vertically disposed beams, 14, the beams 12, 13, and 14 serving to carry the weigh basket as will be'presently described.

The weigh basket which is designated, 15, is of substantially triangular form looking at it from the side and of rectangular form looking at it from above, its upper edges being substantially parallel with the inclined beams, 5, while its bottom is at a somewhat sharp angle to the beams, 5, so that the bottom of the basket has a sufiicient inclination to cause the coal to readily slide out of the basket when the door of the same is opened.

The door of the basket, designated, 16, is pivotally attached at 17 to the sides of the basket by rearwardly extending rigid arms, 18, so that when at liberty to move the door will swing upwardly and outwardly, several of its positions while swinging in the described manncr being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

A pitman arm, 19, is pivotally connected at 20 to the door of the basket at each end. And these pitman arms are pivotally connected to cranks, 21, carried by a horizontal shaft, 22, mounted on the basket supporting beams.

The shaft, 22, carries about centrally of its length a drum, 23, around which is wound a rope, 24, carrying on its end a counter-weight, 25, and also carries a second and larger drum, 26, that is partly surrounded by a band brake, 27, having its ends attached at 28, 29, to a lever, 30, which is pivoted at 31, to the vertical beams 14, and carries an adjustable weight, 32, on its outer end, the outer end being also connected to a chain, cord or other connection, 33, leading to a platform above on which the weigh master stands. The end of a screen, 34, eX- tends under the outer end of the weigh basket, to receive the coal as it falls from the latter. The operation of my improved weigh basket is as follows The coal from the cars is dumped into the weigh basket and weighed. The weigh master then, by gradually pulling the connection, 33, gradually releases band brake, 27, thus releasing drum, 26, and thus permits the door, 16, which is being pressed against by the coal, to open and allows the coal to escape and fall on the screen, 3 1, in a steady stream, the volume of which can be nicely controlled by the weigh-master. After all the coal has been discharged from the basket, the weigh master still holding the band brake, 27 out of engagement with the drum, 26, the shaft, 22, will be rotated by counter weight, 25, in a direction opposite to that in which it rotated as the door opened and the door will be firmly closed, ready for the reception of another load in the basket.

I claim V 1. The combination with a weigh basket having an inclined bottom and a hinged door at its end, said door being adapted to Copies of this patent "may be obtained for be opened automatically by the'pressure of coal in the basket, of braking mechanism constructed and adapted to normally hold the door against opening movement, manually operable means-for gradually releasing the braking mechanism and means for automatically closing the door when the braking mechanism is released.

2. The combination with a tipple structure and a weigh basket mounted thereon and having an inclined bottom and a swinging door at its lower end, of a rotary shaft connected vto said door and adapted to be rotatedby the opening movement of the door, a brake drum rotatable with said shaft, a brake adapted to engage with said brake drum, means for automatically maintaining said brake and brake drum normally in engagement, manually operable means for gradually releasing said brake and brake drum from engagement and means for rotating the brake drum to close said door.

3. The combination with a weigh basket, of a door adapted to open under pressure of coal in the basket and to be automatically closed by gravity when the coal has been discharged and means comprising manually operable braking mechanism for controlling the opening of the door.

4:. The combination with a weigh basket of a swinging door adapted tobe opened by the pressure of the contents of the basket, braking mechanism connected to said door,

means for manually controlling the operation of said braking mechanism and means connected with the braking mechanism for automatically closing the said door.

5. The combination with a'weigh basket, of a door hinged thereto, a pitman connected to said door, a crank connected to said pitman, a shaft on which the said crank is carried, a drum mounted on said shaft, a brake adapted to contact with said drum and manually operable means for controlling the action of the brake relatively to the drum.

Intestimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

JOHN J. FLEMING.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of lPatents,

Washington, D. G. 

